


Dust of Snow 'Verse

by ChloeNyme



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Caitlin Snow Saves The Day, Hurt Barry, Hurt/Comfort, Iris West Is An Awesome Sister, Medical Experimentation, Medical Trauma, Panic, Protective Joe West, brief mention of non consensual touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-01-18 14:37:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12390096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChloeNyme/pseuds/ChloeNyme
Summary: “Are you sure you want to do this?”“Cisco, I don’t think we have much of a choice. Plus, chances are I’ll never actually set foot in the place. This is just Plan B.”“Plan B for Bad Idea..."Or, Caitlin uses her medical background to infiltrate the laboratory where Barry is currently being held.





	1. Dust of Snow

**Author's Note:**

> I recently discovered the show and have been devouring fics since. I know there is no shortage of fics where Barry gets experimented on. However, I really wanted something where Caitlin saves the day. I may have inadvertently stolen some ideas from the Shattered series by RedQ or Breathe series by Fallingleaves (or any other Flash fics out there). Either way I strongly recommend either those series and apologies if I stepped on any toes. 
> 
> Title from a poem by the same name by Robert Frost.

“You must be Dr. Pruitt. Welcome to our laboratory.”

Caitlin firmly shook the outstretched hand. She curiously looked over the older woman. Her round face and fizzy, grey hair did not match the mental picture of the person she was expecting to meet at the facility. By the woman’s small chuckle, Caitlin knew she must not have hid her surprise very well.

“I’m Dr. Hart. And let me just say, I’m glad to finally have someone else on staff that ‘s not a ‘good ol’ boy’.” The woman spoke in a soft, gentle voice.

Caitlin smiled in response. “Well, it’s nice to meet you too. I’m very eager to get started.” She pushed the ill-fitting glasses up her nose. Leave it to Cisco to buy the dorkiest pair of glasses to fit with a GPS. Despite the situation, she tried to speak with as much confidence as she could muster. It had been a tedious application process to get to this point and failure was not an option. Caitlin slightly tilted her head towards the locked metal doors to show her enthusiasm.

Dr. Hart nodded in response. “Of course, we have much to cover. Follow me.” She walked briskly to the door and quickly punched in a numerical code on the keypad. “We just need to set up your code and retinal scan. Apologies. There was an attempted break in last week. Luckily, nothing was stolen, but since then our administrators have increased the security."

Caitlin slightly clenched her jaw but managed to hide her distaste. She was well aware of Oliver’s failed rescue attempt. He was still recovering from the laser burns in Starling City.

“The scan is ready. You just need to remove your glasses.”

Caitlin slid the glasses on top of her recently dyed blonde hair.

Dr. Hart continued to talk as the light shined into Caitlin’s eye. “Your code is 7556, make sure you remember it. It’s a whole hoopla to get a new one.”

Caitlin nodded in response and followed the older woman through the open door.

S.T.A.R. Labs hallways were far more gloomy than the one she was currently walking down. The entire facility seemed more like a hospital than a lab. Considering its purpose, Caitlin supposed she shouldn’t have been too surprised.

“As mentioned during the interview, we work with highly sensitive material here, Dr. Pruitt. Between you and me, we were in desperate need of someone with your level of expertise in biochemistry and molecular biology, so we put a rush on your security clearance. Typically, you wouldn’t have access to our labs without an intensive training and vetting process.  I cannot stress enough how much discretion is key to every aspect of our research. Any talk of your work outside of this facility will be considered grounds for immediate termination and possible arrest.”

Caitlin had never been more grateful for her chosen fields of study. The position was not easy to find, but once Cisco located it, it took minimal doctoring of her background to become the perfect match. “I completely understand. I am just thankful for the opportunity to be part of such a magnificent team.”

Dr. Hart smiled, “Excellent.” She walked down the hallway a few more feet before stopping at a nondescript door. “This will be your lab, other scientists may be popping in to grab samples, but for the most part it’s yours.”

She opened the door to a small room that looked far too close Caitlin’s own lab at S.T.A.R.

“I’m not sure what was told to you during the interview…“ Dr. Hart started while leaning against a desk with a microscope on it.

“Nearly nothing,” Caitlin responded.

Dr. Hart nodded in understanding. “Well. You have been assigned to work with subject #27. We have hit a bit of an obstacle in our research. It metabolizes through medicine far too quickly for us to perform several of our necessary experiments. Shock is a real concern. We need someone with your background to develop a formula that will prevent that from happening. This subject is one of a kind. If it dies, we do not have a second chance.”

Caitlin swallowed and nodded. She consciously thought about her breaths to keep her neutral expression in place. 

Unaware, Dr. Hart began walking around the room pointing to groups of vials on the shelves. “Here we have various samples obtained from the subject over the past three weeks. All are dated and catalogued for your ease.”

Caitlin followed a few steps behind the woman, taking in the dozens of vials of skin samples, blood, urine, saliva, semen. She quickly glanced away, subtly trying to swallow the vomit rising in her throat.

“Dr. Pruitt?”

Caitlin immediately looked over the woman, realizing she was now on the other side of the room. “So sorry. I suppose I just got a little overwhelmed there for a second. It’s quite a lot to take in. I’m not even sure where to start.”

Dr. Hart smiled kindly in return. “Not to worry. We have been trying to formulate something since we acquired the subject. You won’t be starting from ground zero.” She gestured towards the laptop in the corner of the room. “Here you will find all of our research to date. It’s fingerprint encrypted, but I’ll set that up for you once we are finished with the tour.”

“There’s more?” The feeling dread expanded in Caitlin’s stomach. For the first time, she considered Cisco’s concerns about the plan, aware it was far too late to turn back.

“Of course. I’m assuming you would like to see the subject?”

 

-:-

 

_“Are you sure you want to do this?”_

_“Cisco, I don’t think we have much of a choice. Plus, chances are I’ll never actually set foot in the place. Oliver is pretty adamant that he can get in and out without being noticed. This is just Plan B.”_

_“Plan B for Bad Idea. They’re going to figure it out. Or they’re not going to figure it out, and you’ll be traumatized for life. Or they’re going to figure it out, and you’ll be traumatized. Or they won’t figure it out and Barry-“_

_“Cisco. It’ll be okay. We’re due for a win.”_

 

-:-

 

The first thing Caitlin noticed about the operating room was the chill.

“Apologies. We find the temperature helps the subject be more compliant.”

Caitlin couldn’t even process the words because Barry was lying in front of her, blindfolded, naked, and strapped to a table. She moved on autopilot, following Dr. Hart further inside the room, belatedly noticing the two male scientists standing on either side of him. As she rounded the table from afar, it was clear Barry was in an untold amount of pain. Tears streamed down from behind the blindfold. His head forced back against the table, mouth clenched tightly except for the occasional sharp intake of breath.

“This is subject #27, discovered twenty-two days ago in Central City.”

Upon closer examination, it appeared the men were performing skin grafts on various areas of his legs. Caitlin couldn’t even begin to consider what must have transpired beforehand to require such a surgery. 

She turned to look at Dr. Hart. “What was tested to need skin grafts?” she asked in a voice surprisingly calm.

She kept her eyes trained on the older woman, purposefully ignoring how Barry turned his head towards her at the sound of her voice. The hand closest to her started to desperately scrape the table. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him open and close his mouth, but thankfully nothing came out except harsh gasps. She was so focused on remaining neutral, while making sure Barry didn’t say anything to give her away, she completely missed the other doctor’s response.

Luckily, Dr. Hart didn’t seem to notice. After a brief pause, she caught the two male scientists’ attention. “This is Dr. Pruitt, our new hire. I’ll formally introduce you when you are finished here.”

Caitlin gave a strained smile and nodded when the two men looked in her direction. One nodded in return while the other went back to work.

“C’mon, let’s set up your computer,” Dr. Hart stated as she strode towards the door. Caitlin had no choice but to follow, guiltily feeling grateful to be out of the room.

 

-:-

 

Caitlin felt years older by the time she entered S.T.A.R. Labs. The thought of talking to anyone after having to swallow her empathy for the past twelve hours left her stomach in knots. Thankfully, she had already thrown up in private before entering the cortex.

Immediately upon seeing her, Joe, Iris, and Cisco stood up.

“How is he?” Joe asked earnestly.

She should have expected the question. She _had_ expected the question. But after surviving the day, her practiced response abandoned her. “He’s alive,” she said carefully.

Iris took a few steps towards her. “What does that mean?” Before waiting for a response, she immediately turned around to look at Joe. “What does that mean?!”

Caitlin opened her mouth to explain further but no words were forthcoming.

Cisco clasped his hand around her shoulder while looking at the distraught pair. “I think what she means is…is…Caitlin?” His voice became uncertain as he looked at her.

“He’ll be okay,” she stated trying to keep her voice steady. When no one moved or responded, the events of the day finally caught up to her. _Barry._ He had already been there for three weeks and she just left him there. Her face crumpled as tears welled up in her eyes. “Oh god, he’s got to be okay,” she cried as she hid her face behind her hand.

Warm arms quietly embraced her. She didn’t need to look to know who it was. Even though it was the first time, her body instantly recognized Joe’s fatherly compassion.

 

-:-

 

Caitlin arrived early to add a new IV drip. Before entering the operating room, she stopped at the door to look over the schedule posted. She was grateful she was alone. For once, she didn’t need to restrain her expression as she read phrases like “hypothermia simulation” and “respiratory stress test”.

From the files, she learned they had been using a speed dampening drug through his IV. Luckily, with “Dr. Pruitt’s” job, it was feasible she would want to take charge of the IV as any drug could interact with the formula she was hired to create. By her best estimate it would take seventy-two hours before the drug would completely leave his system. Any attempt to escape would be insurmountably risky beforehand.

She did her best not to look at Barry. He was blindfolded and strapped in the same position as yesterday. The red dots from the two cameras mounted to the wall stared at her accusingly. She didn’t know if they were being actively watched for security or if they were for documenting purposes. Regardless, it was much easier to maintain her stony façade by simply focusing on the task at hand.

“Please…help...my name is Barry. I’m…I’m a person." 

She swallowed the tears that welled up at the sound of his voice. It was completely shredded, breathy and crackling with only a small hint of the slight baritone she had come to expect.  

She hung her head down as she tapped the line of the new IV. “Hang in there,” she dared to breathe as she exited the room.

She may have imagined it out of her need for something, _anything_ good, but she could’ve sworn she saw a slight nod in response.

 

-:-

 

To her surprise, Caitlin spent most of the day working on the task assigned to her. She wanted to do anything to make the next couple days more bearable for Barry before his speed returned. Creating a usable anesthetic seemed like a good start.

Throughout the day, a few other scientists entered the room. Most of them simply introduced themselves then grabbed whatever they needed, which she was thankful for. The less she knew about the people employed there the better.

She was analyzing a blood sample when Dr. Hart approached her desk.

“Dr. Pruitt. Just wondering how it’s going.”

Caitlin looked up from her microscope but didn’t move otherwise. “It’s slow going. I’ve never quite seen anything like it before,” she lied.

Dr. Hart’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm.”I know. It’s nothing short of phenomenal. Just think of all incurable maladies this may hold the secret to. I still can’t even begin to fathom.”

Not knowing the appropriate response, Caitlin smiled and nodded. “I’m sorry, I never thought to ask. What is your role here?”

Dr. Hart laughed lightly. “I’m surprised you haven’t figured it out yet. I’m head surgeon.”

Caitlin immediately blushed, hoping her obtuseness didn’t make herself stand out. She really should have pieced it together sooner.  “Of course. I’m so sorry.”

Dr. Hart waved her off. “Don’t worry about it. You have a lot on your plate. I won’t keep you any longer.” She placed her hand on the doorway before exiting and looked behind her. “Please let me know if you need anything. Anything at all. The sooner we get an anesthetic, the sooner we can really explore what it has to offer.”

 

-:-

 

That night Caitlin dreamt of metal scalpels and bags of blood.

 

-:-

 

The following morning, Caitlin walked towards the operating room doors with a new IV bag. Posted next to the doors was the schedule she looked over the day before except for now there was a big X on today’s scheduled experiment. The word “nephrectomy” was written beside it.

“Oh god,” she breathed, feeling bile rise in her throat. His kidney. They were going to remove his kidney. And she was nowhere close to creating any type of anesthetic.

“Shit…shit…” She whispered as she ran her hands through her dyed hair. It could kill him. It would definitely permanently traumatize him. She was halfway traumatized just thinking about it. She took off her glasses and quickly popped out the lens with the GPS.

She strode into the room, too focused to feel the sudden chill that caught her off guard every time before. Quickly disconnecting the current IV bag from Barry, she took the IV pole and swung it at the two cameras, effectively breaking them both. Knowing her time was limited, she immediately worked on unstrapping Barry from the metal table.

As she worked, Barry seemed conscious but unaware, twisting his head slightly but making no move to lift his unstrapped hands or feet. She leaned over him and quickly removed the blindfold. His breath sped up in a panic as he tried to blink the light out of his eyes.

“Barry. Barry. I need you to listen to me.”

He finally focused on her, his jaw trembling with fear. There was no hint of recognition in his wide eyes.

She earnestly made eye contact and placed her hands on either side of his face. “Barry, it’s Caitlin.”

His eyes narrowed then instantly welled up with tears with relief. She placed the GPS tracker in one of his hands and closed his fist around it.

“Barry, I need you to run…Run, Barry, run.”

She had never been so relieved to feel the telltale gust of wind against her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now with a Part 2...and 3!


	2. Deliver Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe finds and helps Barry using his A+ parenting skills.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want a bunch of 2,000ish "stories" attached to my profile, so I decided to make this a verse. I'm going to try to make each chapter interconnected but able to read on it's own. For that reason, I'll leave the story as "complete", since I honestly don't know how many separate pieces will be written. I'll update the tags as I add chapters. 
> 
> Hopefully, that works for everyone.

 

Joe leaned back in his office chair as he waited for his computer to load. He glanced over at the few other officers in the station. Only three were there during the early morning lull. He had gotten in the habit of arriving at the station by sunrise. It was impossible to ignore the feeling being utterly useless when he was home alone. It was always the quiet moments before the rush of the day that were the hardest.

Just two more days. Caitlin and Cisco promised him two more days and Barry would be home. Two days until a speed dampening drug fully left his system, and they could break him out of that wretched facility.

Caitlin and Cisco had done their best to hide what was transpiring there, but he knew. Being a cop came with its own set of skills. He tried to hide it from Iris. He hoped he was more successful than the two young geniuses. Barry was being experimented on, and Iris didn’t need to know that. She didn’t need the same nightmares that had been plaguing him since he had figured it out. Barry was currently being used as a lab rat, and Joe was sitting behind his computer screen like a worthless waste of space. Joe saved people and put away bad guys for a living. Yet his training completely failed him these past three weeks while he waited for someone else to find and rescue the boy he thought of as a son.

The shrill ring from his cell phone saved him from his dismal thoughts. Barry had made fun of him for never changing the default ring to something more pleasant. Even his stupid ringtone provoked bittersweet memories.

He quickly brought his phone to his ear, mouth open to address Cisco on the other line. Before he could give his weary greeting, the younger man interrupted, words tripping over themselves.

_“Barry’s out. Caitlin got Barry out. Caitlin’s still there but I need you to get to Barry.”_

Joe was already standing up and grabbing his keys, jacket forgotten on the back of his chair. “Where is he?”

_“The GPS has him at Mason and 48 th. He’s been there for a while. I think he ran out of speed.”_

Joe brought the phone to his other hand as he jogged towards the exit. “A while?! How long is a while?” The thought of his son alone and injured on some random street corner left his stomach in knots.

_“Like thirty seconds. Which is a while when we’re referring to Barry.”_

Joe breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God, I’m on my way.”  He was already outside, heading towards the police cruiser.

_“I need to help Caitlin. I’ll call if anything changes.”_

Focused on opening the car door, Joe barely moved the phone away from his ear when he heard Cisco call out, _“Joe! Wait! Wait!”_

“What?” he asked urgently.

_“He’s moving again.”_

“Where?” He quickly turned on the ignition, lights, and siren in one fluid movement.

 _“He hasn’t stopped yet. He’s heading north._ ”

One hand on his phone the other on the steering wheel, Joe glanced behind him before reversing out of his parking spot.

 _“Holy…he’s at your house. He made it to your house.”_ Joe’s breath caught in his throat. He knew he should’ve been relieved at the news. Home meant Barry was safe. But Joe couldn’t shake the feeling of dread nestled in his stomach.

 _“That’s good, right? He’s with it enough to make it home. That’s gotta be a good sign, right? He’s gonna be okay.”_ Cisco’s distressed voice increased in speed as he continued to talk. It was clear he was talking more to himself than to Joe. However, Cisco’s anxiety brought Joe back to the present. He needed to focus on the task at hand.

He kept his voice cautiously optimistic, hoping to bring some comfort to the younger man. “Yeah…yeah, it’s good. I’m on my way there now. Go help Caitlin.”

 

-:-

 

Joe ran to the front door, barely taking the time to notice it was wide open. He immediately stopped in the doorway and looked down to find his son, sitting directly in front of him, leaning against the side of the staircase. In disbelief, Joe placed his hand on the doorway. He paused for a breath to look over the boy.

Barry had his knees loosely pulled to his chest. His head rested against the wall, slightly tilted to one side. Beyond the breaths audibly rattling in his chest, he hadn’t moved at Joe’s entrance. He was seemingly unaware of the new presence, his eyes staring blankly at the floor. Even in the cramped position, it was easy to see he was nude. The realization left a sour taste in Joe’s mouth. Barry’s eyes slowly drifted closed, his head rolling. Immediately, he flinched himself awake, focusing on to the same spot on the floor.

Moving on instinct alone, Joe kneeled down in front of him. He quietly inspected the fresh stitches on the boy’s legs. He disregarded the professionally tended to wounds, hating himself for being momentarily thankful that the monsters who did this had medical degrees. Joe was far more concerned about Barry’s lack of reaction.

“Barry,” he spoke softly, hoping to get some type of response. He reached out to place a hand on an unharmed section of his leg. Before he could make contact, there was an abrupt gust of wind and a loud crash in the next room. Unsurprisingly, the space in front of him was suddenly empty.

Joe quickly stood and moved further inside the house. He stepped around the knocked over lamp and cautiously approached Barry, trying to ignore the way he was frantically pushing himself against the wall next to an end table.

It was clear Barry was panicking. His eyes bounced around the room, never landing on anything in particular. His breaths came in short, uncontrolled gasps. His bare feet scrambled against the floor as he tried to push himself further against the wall.

Joe paused for a brief moment and considered the sight in front of him. Barry seemed completely unaware of where he was and, more importantly, where he wasn’t. Ever the hugger, Barry always took comfort from touch. But Joe’s first attempt to provide that was unsuccessful and he wasn’t willing to try again.

Joe quickly grabbed a blanket from the couch. Bending over, he silently pressed the blanket into Barry’s hands, careful not to touch him directly. He hoped having the material would give Barry something to focus on. Selfishly, Joe also wanted something to cover his son. Seeing the boy so bare and vulnerable would likely haunt Joe once he had a second to think.

Barry grabbed the blanket and gripped it by his chest. His fingers sporadically clenched and unclenched the soft material. His eyes became unfocused again as he stared down by Joe’s knees.

“Barry, can you hear me?” Joe asked, kneeling down.

Barry nodded slightly in return. Fingers continued to move over the blanket as slight tremors shook his body.

“Good, that’s good.” Joe instinctively reached up to show the boy his approval with a quick pat on the knee but stopped midair. “I’m going to place my hand on your knee, is that okay?”

There was a long pause. Joe started to doubt whether or not Barry actually heard him. Then Barry nodded again, slower than before.

Giving a slight smile, Joe gently patted Barry’s knee twice then left his hand there and rubbed his kneecap with his thumb. Throughout the entire process, Barry had yet to look up at him, preferring to keep his gaze on Joe’s hand. Joe opened his mouth to say something more, but the words died in his throat. For the first time in his life, he had no idea what comfort to provide. Suddenly, he felt just as useless as he did earlier that morning.

After a few tedious seconds, Barry closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. His head started to drift off to one side. Almost immediately, he jerked back awake. 

It was obvious the boy was just barely keeping himself together, likely relying on adrenaline to stay conscious. Joe ran a hand over his mouth. “Why don’t we head upstairs? Okay, Barr?”

Barry didn’t bother to respond. He placed his palms against the floor and shakily pushed himself up. The lack of interaction was starting to trouble Joe. He tried to comfort himself with the thought that Barry was at least able to understand his words.

 Once standing, Joe gently grabbed the blanket from Barry and draped it across his shoulders. He tried his best to ignore the myriad of scars on the boy’s back. That was something he could mentally process later, hopefully without anyone around to judge his tears. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before wrapping his arm gently around Barry’s back for support.

Barry heavily leaned on Joe’s shoulder as they made their way to the staircase. Step by step, they slowly made their way up the stairs. Joe kept his eyes on the boy. Barry lowered his head down, intently watching where he placed his own feet. As they rounded the corner, Joe remained completely attuned to his son. At first he thought he imaged it, but as he leaned closer, he could clearly hear Barry’s hoarse whisper, “I’m okay, it’s okay...I’m fine...”

Without thought, Joe replied, “Sure you are, Barr. I’ve got you.”

 

-:-

 

Joe looked over Barry, silently sitting on the edge of the bed. He was now dressed in his own sweatpants and loose fitting t-shirt. Joe purposely chose larger clothes, as he didn’t want anything to aggravate Barry’s stitches or fresh scars. However, as he began dressing the boy, it became clear how much weight he had loss while he was gone. Joe was fairly confident Barry didn’t own an article of clothing that would properly fit him in his current state. The realization seemed solidify the heavy knot firmly seated in his gut.

Joe looked over Barry. The boy’s eyes were fixed on his own hands lightly clasped in his lap. As he was dressing him the sweatpants, he had briefly caught Barry looking at him, eyes wide and unblinking. When Joe had looked up at him, Barry had quickly moved his eyes away, seemingly ashamed. The behavior inexplicably comforted and bothered Joe simultaneously.

Joe pulled the computer chair closer to the bed and took a seat across from Barry. Barry’s eyelids continued to heavily droop down before springing back up.

“You should rest before Caitlin gets here. I’m sure she will want to take a look at you as soon as she gets a chance,” he stated softly. He thought back to his conversation with Cisco. Honestly, he had no idea the status of Caitlin. He didn’t even know if she was safe. Though the thought weighed heavily on his heart, it was not his priority right now, and it was not fair to mention it to Barry.

At the mention of Caitlin, Barry immediately looked up, his eyes locking on Joe. If it was not for the look of panic, the eye contact would have been a relief after an hour of stolen glances.

“No.” Barry’s voice cracked at the end, vowel fading out. He visibly swallowed and shook his head. “No, she was there. We can’t trust her.”

Joe earnestly kept his eyes on Barry’s. Honestly, he felt like he should’ve seen it coming. Barry definitely had some type of contact with Caitlin during her time at the facility. His next words were crucial if Barry was ever going to trust the woman again. "Yes, she was the one who rescued you, Barry. Remember?”

Barry closed his eyes and appeared to be thinking back to his encounters with Caitlin. To Joe’s dismay, he shook his head again. “No…no. She was there…before. She was there with _them_ ,” he stated emphatically, voice becoming more confident with each word.

Joe placed a hand on his son’s thigh. Barry looked down at the hand, his eyes becoming unfocused and panicked in a troubling way. Joe lightly squeezed the muscle through the sweatpants, hoping to bring Barry’s thoughts back to the present. “I know, Barry.”

At Joe’s words, Barry immediately looked up. The look of distrust visibly replaced the panic.

The sudden change worried Joe far more than he expected. “She had to be there. We couldn’t have gotten you out otherwise. We tried,” he spoke with more confidence than he felt. He paused, deciding it was best to not provide details of Oliver’s botched rescue attempt.

Barry stared at him, unflinchingly, as his breath softly picked up speed. “She hated it,” Joe continued, each word quiet but firm. "She hated every second of it. But she did it to save you.”

Barry slowly exhaled and ran a shaky hand down his face. “I’m tired,” he whispered from behind his hand.

Joe stood up and picked up the blankets at the foot of the bed. “Go to sleep. I’ll be here.” Barry laid back and let Joe place the blankets over him. Watching Barry close his eyes, Joe sat down next to the bed and kept his promise.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next, if my muse doesn't leave me, Cisco! (maybe?)
> 
> Edit to add: ....Nope, it's Iris.


	3. Give Me Peace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry wakes up and starts to come to terms with what's happened...with Iris' help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am trying to make it so then this verse could plausibly fit anywhere within the series. However, I have not seen all the episodes yet. So, let's say it's early Season 2(ish).

 

 

“Dad? Where is he?” Iris called running through the front doorway. She slammed the door behind her, looking into the empty living room.

Iris had been frantic since she got the short phone call at Central City News. Her father seemed to believe that a call that surmounted to “ _Barry is home. Drive safe”_ would be sufficient. If she wasn’t so relieved, she would’ve throttled the man. To be fair, he also mentioned that Caitlin excelled enough at being a double agent, she rescued him two days before originally planned.  But that was not the point. Any questions in regards to Barry’s well being were deflected until her father abruptly had _“to go and check on Barry. Remember, drive safe_.”

Safe, her ass. Old man should be concerned for his own safety.

Iris stepped further into the house, all of her senses on high alert. There was no sign of Barry or her father anywhere. “Dad?!” she called again, not liking the emptiness that surrounded her.

Suddenly, she heard a rush of footsteps from upstairs.

“Dad!” Iris hurried up the first few steps, running into her father on the midway landing. She opened her mouth to ask any one of the many questions circling in her mind but stopped when Joe placed a finger on his lips, effectively shushing her.

“He’s sleeping,” Joe mouthed.

“But he’s okay, right?” Iris hastily asked her voice louder than the whisper she had intended. She waited a beat, but when her father didn’t immediately answer, she pushed past him and ran up the rest of the stairs. Her brain barely had a chance to process her father’s lack of response and all the awful possible reasons behind it before she arrived in the doorway of Barry’s room.

 _Barry_. He was here. He was actually here in his own bed. After three weeks of searching and endless failures he finally made his way back home.

Iris walked further into dimly lit room. She hardly had a chance to revel in her newfound relief. The more she looked over Barry, the more she noticed the small unexplainable differences. His pale face and pronounced cheekbones were the most obvious. His was sound asleep on his side, knees slightly curled in to his chest. That wasn’t right, Barry always slept on his back. His dark hair was messily matted down on his forehead. She wasn’t sure she had ever seen his hair without product. Not even during their senior year camping trip.

“Oh, Barry,” Iris breathed as she walked up to the bed. She kept her eyes on him as she silently sat down in the chair already pulled beside the bed. Eyes wide, she looked back to see her father standing in the doorway.

“What happened to him?” she whispered as Joe pulled up another chair to sit beside her. Her father and the S.T.A.R. Labs team had kept her frustratingly in the dark. Everyone seemed to be under the impression that the less she knew the better, a foolish theory she was certain came from the man sitting beside her.

“Nothing good,” he vaguely responded, refusing to make eye contact. 

Iris turned in her chair to face her father head on. “Dad…please. Just tell me.” He shook his head, still staring down at the bed. “I can’t help him if I don’t know.”

Her father looked up at the ceiling, seemingly at war with himself. She waited a few seconds. When no response was forthcoming, she gently placed her hand on the arm of her father’s chair. “And, honestly…I think I know more than you think I do.”

Joe eyes slid over to meet hers, eyebrows raised in question. Iris swallowed and stated, “There are very few reasons why someone with Caitlin’s background would be hired.”

Joe quickly looked away, blinking tears out of his eyes. He silently ran a hand over his mouth and nodded. If she hadn’t been staring right at him, she may have missed the response. It was all the confirmation she needed. She leaned back in her chair. After all these weeks of guessing and second-guessing, it surprised her how much the truth still shocked her. “Oh God, Barry,” she sobbed.

She sat in silence next to her father, trying to process what it must have been like for Barry. Being trapped somewhere and experimented on, she simply couldn’t imagine. She wasn’t even sure if she honestly wanted to. An indiscernible amount of time later, she looked over to see her father passing her a tissue. She hadn’t even noticed she was crying.

The shrill ring of her father’s cell phone broke her out of her thoughts. She looked over at Joe to see him hastily reaching into his pocket to silence it.

Barry abruptly woke up with a gasp at the noise, his eyes wide and panicked.

“Barry,” Iris called out, “it’s okay.”

She heard her father whisper behind her, “It’s Cisco.”

“Answer it. They may be able to help,” Iris replied. She knelt down to be closer to Barry, watching as his eyes rapidly glanced around the room, seemingly unaware of his surroundings.

“You’ll-“ Joe started as he stood up.

“Don’t worry, I got him.” Iris responded, not bothering to look at her father. She distantly heard him walk towards the door.

Barry hadn’t moved a muscle from where he was lying on his side. His breath continued to shudder in his chest. “Barry,” she gently called again. She placed a hand on his cheek, hoping the touch would ground him. His eyes finally started to slow in their movements, his head turning in towards the touch.

“That’s it. I’m right here,” Iris encouraged. To her relief, his green eyes locked on hers. “Hey there,” she spoke softly, smiling widely as tears pooled in her eyes. She mentally berated herself. She really needed to get control of herself if she had any hope of providing Barry comfort.

“Iris,” Barry breathed, almost like her name was a sigh of relief.

Tears spilled over at the sound of his voice. _Goddammit_. She rubbed his cheek with her thumb as she messily wiped away her tears with her other hand. “I’m here. You’re safe now.”

Eyes still locked on hers, he wrapped a hand around her wrist and nodded. After a moment, he placed his palm on the bed and started to push himself up. Understanding his intention, Iris hurriedly reached out to help him move further up the bed, using the headboard as a backrest. Once he appeared to be comfortable, she moved to sit across from him on the bed. She sat beside his knee, feet dangling over the edge of the bed.

She silently watched as Barry looked around the room, as if it was his first time seeing it.

“Is this real?”

If the words didn’t break her heart the sound of his voice would’ve. His vocal cords sounded shredded. Iris earnestly grabbed both of his hands in hers. “Yes, Barry, this is real,” she stated with as much conviction as she could muster.

He looked down at her hands, muttering, “Good.” He paused and swallowed before looking back up at her. “That’s good.” Tears quickly welled up in his eyes.

When they were younger they never needed words, just heartfelt touches and meaningful glances. Iris leaned forward to hug him, gently wrapping her arms around his back. Barry immediately returned the gesture, burying his head into her shoulder. She rubbed his trembling back, feeling his hot tears against her neck. Iris tightened her grip as she listened to him cry silently, much more quietly than she remembered from all of their evenings sharing stories and tears. Holidays were always a bit difficult for the two of them when they were kids. Mother’s Day was particularly rough. Iris could no longer blink back her own tears at the feeling of his hands clawing desperately at her back, as if he needed to prove she was real.

After a few minutes, not nearly long enough in Iris’ taste, Barry leaned back and ran a shaky hand down his face. “It’s okay. I’m okay,” he muttered from behind his hand.

Iris grabbed his hand and pulled it towards her. “I’m glad, Barry. But you don’t have to be.” She spoke gently, trying her hardest to sound sincere. It was crucial Barry believed her. This was not a weight he could carry on his own, nor should he have to.

Barry nodded in response. Afterward, he looked up, eyes locking on something over her shoulder. “Hey, Joe,” he said in such a casual manner, if it wasn’t for the slight tremor in his voice, she could’ve almost believed things were normal. Iris looked behind her, unaware of when her father had re-entered the room.

“Hey, Barr. Good to see you awake.”

Barry nodded, looking down at his hands, one still grasped tightly in Iris’.

Joe slowly stepped around the bed and put a hand on the chair Iris previously occupied. “Do you need anything? Food…water?”

Iris could’ve slapped herself she felt so dense. She was so busy joining Barry in an epic emotional breakdown she didn’t even think to ask about Barry’s needs. If his cheekbones and collarbone were anything to go by, he must’ve been starving.

Iris silently looked over Barry, hoping to dissect any other needs she may have missed. He was slightly frowning and had yet to look up from his hands. He seemed deep in thought, far deeper than Iris thought necessary to answer the question. Her instinct told her to run downstairs and bring up as much food, water, blankets, movies, and whatever else she could grab, but she followed her father’s lead and waited patiently for a response.

Finally, he swallowed and raised his head. “A shower? I’d really like a shower,” he softly asked. His hopeful eyes searched their faces for approval. 

Iris frowned at his response, before consciously replacing it with a strained smile. The tone and phrasing was all wrong. Of course he could have a shower. He didn’t need to ask for permission. He could the longest, hottest shower in the history of the planet if it made him feel better.

However, to her shock and disdain, Joe responded, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Iris whipped her head towards her father in disbelief.

Joe sat the chair in front of him, lightly clasping his hands in his lap. “That was Cisco on the phone… He found Caitlin,” he stated, as if that explained anything at all. Since when was Caitlin lost?

Joe spoke the next part slowly and deliberately, maintaining eye contact with Barry. “They’re on their way here. I think we should wait until Caitlin has a chance to look you over before we risk a shower. We wouldn’t want to aggravate your injuries.”

Iris’ eyes widened at that. Injuries? What injuries? Of course he had injuries. She was naïve to have thought otherwise. Her eyes roamed over Barry’s body for any signs of discomfort. How serious were his injuries? It was impossible to tell under the loose t-shirt and sweatpants.

She was so absorbed in her thoughts she almost didn’t notice the way Barry’s hand went limp in her grasp. He looked away from them, resting his head against the headboard, his gaze becoming unfocused.

Not liking the lack of interaction, she moved her hand from his lax grasp and placed it on his shin. “What about a warm bath?” She asked, looking up at her father earnestly. Anything to get rid of that faraway look in his eyes.

“Not with his stitches,” Joe whispered.

She looked over Barry once again, noticing a few scars on the inside of his arm but no stitches. Looking back at her father, she mouthed, ”Stitches?” Joe nodded, pointedly looking at Barry’s lower legs. She followed his gaze to her hand on Barry’s shin and hastily removed it, hoping she hadn’t caused him more discomfort.

She looked up at his face for any telltale signs of pain. He hadn’t moved a muscle, continuing stare at the wall blankly. He seemed completely unaware of her failed negotiation and subsequent realization. The sudden way he was able to completely disconnect from his surroundings frightened and unnerved Iris.

“Barry?” she prompted. She waited a breath before placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently. “Barry,” she prompted again, adding a bit more force to her voice.

He immediately turned his head towards her, easily making eye contact. “Yeah?” he asked, as if he was unaware of his brief dissociation.

Now that she had his attention, she had no idea what to say. Luckily, Joe intervened, “Is it okay for Caitlin to come up when they arrive?”

The question perplexed Iris. Practically the entire interaction perplexed Iris. She felt like she had only been given half of the puzzle pieces and now she was scrambling to make sense of the entire picture. Caitlin, at some point, was lost and needed to be found. Barry had fresh stitches somewhere. And, it may not be okay for Caitlin to come upstairs? Unless if Barry preferred to be examined at S.T.A.R. Labs. 

Barry’s brow furrowed, clearly considering his options. He couldn’t possibly be considering making the trip to S.T.A.R.? He looked exhausted just sitting there.

Finally, Barry looked at Joe, “You sure it’s okay?”

Joe placed a hand on Barry’s shoulder. “I promise,” he said in a sincere tone that reminded Iris of all their late nights and childhood uncertainties that ended with being comforted by a father who had all the answers.

Answers that Iris was desperate to know too. He was holding out on her, and she did not appreciate the increasing bewilderment she was experiencing watching their interaction. She was definitely going to need to have a long conversation with her father once she had a chance.

Barry looked back down then resolutely nodded. He swallowed once before looking up at Iris. “Will you stay?”

Finally, a question she could answer. “Of course, Barry, wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”

Iris moved up to sit next to Barry by the headboard. While it was cramped, it felt nice to be able to lean against each other while they silently waited for Caitlin. Joe leaned on the wall next to them. Every once in a while, he would start to pace but then stop when Barry would tense next to Iris. For once, Iris was thankful for how perceptive her father could be.

The doorbell sounded from downstairs.

Looking relieved, Joe announced, “They’re here. I’ll send her up.”

Once Joe left the room, Iris noticed Barry’s hands start to tremble. He quickly grasped them within one another.

 “Barry,” Iris started to rub his shoulder, trying to relieve some of his anxiety. While she didn’t know the cause, she hoped she could bring him some comfort. “It’s okay. It’s just Caitlin.”

At that, he gripped his upper arms and nervously looked off to the side. After a moment, he looked directly at her and whispered, “I don’t know if we can trust her. She was there… towards the end.”

It was overwhelming how quickly the realization hit her. Of course, it seemed so simple. Barry was likely not completely cognizant wherever he was, but he knew Caitlin was there.  She opened her mouth to rebut, but she was interrupted by Barry running his hands through his lank hair, clearly aggravated.

“It’s just so confusing,” he stated, squeezing his eyes shut.

Iris moved her hand from his shoulder to gently bring his arm down. “I understand,” she said sympathetically.  “Let’s just see what happens. I’m not going anywhere.”

 “Okay…okay,” he nodded. While his eyes were still closed, at least he had moved his hands down from his hair.

As if sensing the timing, there was a soft knock on the doorway. Iris turned her head to see Caitlin standing there with a large bag, no doubt filled with medical supplies.

If it wasn’t for the fact she was expecting her, Iris wasn’t sure if she would’ve recognized Caitlin beneath the wool beanie, dark jeans, and sneakers. She looked more like a writer from Portland than a geneticist from Central City.

Caitlin must have seen her look of confusion. “Had to ditch the lab coat for something a bit less conspicuous,” she said softly, gesturing towards the green hoodie. Iris nodded in response.

Caitlin’s gaze moved behind Iris’ shoulder. “How is he?” she whispered.

“Ears still work,” Barry responded before she had a chance. It was a clear attempt to be jovial, but it slightly missed its mark. Iris still chuckled lightly, looking back at Barry.

“That’s good, Barry,” Caitlin smiled, though it looked a bit pained to Iris. She wasn’t sure if she had seen Caitlin genuinely smile since she went undercover.

Seeing Caitlin approach, Iris started to move out of the way, planning to stand on the other side of the bed to give Caitlin better access. However, Barry’s hand instantly grabbed hers, unnaturally instantly, effectively answering Iris’ unspoken question about his powers.

Iris looked over at him, concerned about the panicked look in his eyes behind the sporadic lightning. She squeezed his hand, bringing his attention to her. “I’m here,” she mouthed silently.

Barry nodded and closed his eyes. When he reopened them, they had returned to their normal state. He looked over at Caitlin and smiled, a bit too forced to be natural. “It’s really good to see you, Caitlin.”

Caitlin blinked back tears. “You too, Barry.”

At her response, Barry’s smile immediately relaxed and he exhaled into the headboard. Iris felt the grip on her hand loosen. Something about her response seemed to convince Barry of her intentions at the facility.

After a tumultuous morning, Iris smiled at the two of them, thankful to see Barry finally at ease.

 

 


End file.
